California

Since it was first introduced, AB 2844 was re-written several times. In its final version, it will require certain state contractors to certify, under penalty of perjury, that they are in compliance with pre-existing California anti-discrimination laws and that any policy they have against a nation or peoples is not used to discriminate in violation of those anti-discrimination laws.

Below are links to articles and resources on AB 2844, including a number of memos, action alerts, and advocacy material prepared by the Coalition to Stop AB 2844 and/or individual organizations:

The following bills were introduced in Caliornia, but are currently inactive:

AB 1551 would prohibit California's public pension funds from investing in companies that boycott Israel.

AB 1552 prohibits the state of California from doing business with contractors that are engaged in boycotts based on race, color, religion, gender, or nationality. AB 1552 is an anti-discrimination measure that does not mention BDS or Israel. Though it has been characterized as an anti-BDS bill, it is our position that it does not affect BDS, since BDS is not motivated by "nationality" or "religion" but by the policies of the state of Israel.

Remember

CLICK HERE FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH LEGAL ANALYSIS OF ANTI-BDS LEGISLATION

These bills are the result of a campaign to suppress Palestine human rights activism in the U.S. Israel's interest in restricting this activism should not override our constitutional right to advocate for change.

The good news is that your right to engage in boycotts related to Israeli human rights abuses and to advocate for BDS is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. None of the bills and resolutions described here prohibit you from engaging in BDS activities.

Whatever your views on Israel and Palestine, these bills should be of concern because they threaten the rights of everyone in the U.S. to take collective action to address injustice. Moreover, we should all be alarmed that a foreign government, Israel, is lobbying U.S. politicians to restrict our rights.